


Slaying Dragons

by TheSlayer47



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Childhood, Daydreaming, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up, Inner Strength, Jeralt shows up briefly, Pre-Canon, Prequel, Sauin, Some Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-21 00:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30013152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSlayer47/pseuds/TheSlayer47
Summary: 'Sweating, bleeding, mending injuries, all to become a great hunter, like her papa; brave like her momma; and hopefully on her way to become a great mercenary, just like Jeralt.“I can do this,” she mutters to herself, closing her eyes and smiling as the raindrops continue to soak her short hair and drip down her face. “I’ll make you proud.”Tapping her heels into her horse, they continue their way to the monastery.'
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	Slaying Dragons

**Author's Note:**

> To all those who were told they couldn’t, but one person said you can… and that made all the difference.

He looks of death.

Blood splattered on his dented armor, helmet long knocked off by the battle, his scarred, ragged face growling and spitting and foaming like a rabid dog as he ran toward the girl. His pupils so enlarged she couldn’t tell what color they once were- blue as poison? Green as venom? No- they’re dark and cold and absent like a starless night with no Blue Sea Star to guide his way home.

Raising his sword high above his head, screaming maniacally, his spit catches the light of the sun, gleaming before landing on her face. All he sees before him is a pathetic child. 

He doesn’t see the keen eyes of a lioness, the sharp mind of an eagle, or the swiftness of a deer. She is not a little girl, but a knight! The fiercest of them all! 

Before the man could blink, before his blade could even begin the descent to cleave her skull in two, a lance thrust straight through his rotted heart. He collapses to the ground, dead.

Cheers erupt around her! She beams as Sauinians rush forward and pick her up onto their shoulders, shouting her name, their voices full of pride! 

_THE GREAT KNIGHT! THE ONE WHO SAVED THE VILLAGE!_

_“Our hero! Thank Goddess for you!”_ The young, red-head girl bellows in a voice much lower than her own, waving the long stick she found in the woods behind the school house. Thrusting it this way and that- she twirls it around, quick to pick it up when she fumbles and drops it. A mistake like that might get _most_ knights killed- but not her! _“Not the Great Knight, LEON- AHH!”_

Her elbow stings when it breaks her fall onto the hard earth, her weapon flying out of her hand. The mirthful laughter of cowards surrounds her as her stick cracks. Raising her hands to protect her face, through her fingers she sees a classmate’s foot stomping on her ~~lance~~ stick, splinters flying every which way.

“You’re doing it again, aren’t you _Pee_ nelli?!” The branch-stomper jeers. A thick boy, his hair brown and bristled like a pig's leans over her, a smile curling on his lips. “Pretending to be some hero? As if a girl could ever be a knight!” The boys around him all guffaw, heads thrown back like this is the most clever insult they’ve ever heard. “Your just a dumb little girl, who will always be the daughter of a nobody and a weirdo!”

This boy (Pig, she calls him) is the nastiest bully in Sauin. Always pulling at her long braid, slapping her lunch out of her hands, pushing her down whenever an adult is out of sight. He made it so none of the other kids would play with Leonie. Tormenting them if anyone even approached. All because _her_ papa is a much better hunter than _his!_

Who cares if her papa also works as a cleaner? What does it matter if he’s the one scooping the animal poop at the stables, mopping blood off the butchers floor, or fixing the crummy plumbing in their village? They can ride the horses whenever they please, he often gets free packages of meat, and he is well-loved, for he is kind and always helps neighbors in a pinch. Leonie’s proud of her papa. 

Then there’s her beautiful momma. Her hair is a much darker red than Leonie’s and falls over her shoulders in natural curls. They paint together every night while she regails her daughter with amusing stories of brave knights or cunning pirates. But she encourages her daughter’s natural fire and boldness, often playing sword fighting together with twigs behind their little, worn-down home. However, the other mothers whisper with narrowed eyes and judgement in their hearts, for why would women behave in such a way? Cooking, cleaning their husband’s muddy boots and grimy clothes after they hunt for days, and sewing are how the women usually contribute in this village. 

Leonie admires the bravery of her momma. Always keeping her head high when the other women at the market don’t return her hello’s as Leonie tails behind her, dress caked in dirt from her latest heroic act. The spirited red-head often asks her why she never yells at the other mothers… Why does she always smile, say hello, and wave anyway? 

“Anyone can slay dragons, my girl,” momma always says. “But to get up with a kind heart even after being knocked down? That’s a real hero.”

Leonie soaks up every bit and piece of wisdom her mother shares. 

_Well..._

...except Leonie’s still working on the kind part.

So it should not surprise the branch-stomper, Pig, when instead of whimpering at his feet, her eyes turn to flames and her heart pounds as her anger explodes. Leonie does not care that she’s surrounded by more than just him, but also Skunk, Bilge Rat, and Lizard. Her rage too great to think of consequences, she kicks Pig right in the crotch. 

Pig is the one on the ground now, hands cupped over his private parts as she jumps upright. She pushes Skunk and moves to hit Bilge Rat when the latter punches her in the mouth, sending her right back to the ground, the taste of iron trickling from her lips onto her tongue.

Moaning, she rolls onto her side. Lizard scrambles to help Pig up, and the boys dart away. They are always quick to leave when they draw blood. 

Forcing herself back on her feet, she yells, “Come back, cowards!” Leonie picks up a broken piece of her ~~stick~~ lance and hurls it at them. It falls closer to her than the retreating bullies. 

Indignant tears well in her eyes as they run to the front of the school house, their laughter fading. Leonie’s bloody lip trembles when she notices the girls in her class on the picnic table she’s never invited to sit at, stealing glances at her and giggling. 

All except one.

One of them frowns at the others and wiggles out of her spot in the middle. The girl, Jane, her mousy brown hair dancing in the breeze as she walks toward Leonie with her lunch wrapped in paper.

“It’s ok, Lee,” Jane says with a soft smile. She sits on the ground, takes the uneaten half of her sandwich and hands it out. After a few moments of Leonie just staring at her, Jane shakes the half-sandwich again. “I saw Peter- or _Pig,_ ” she giggles, “took your lunch earlier. This is cheese and venison. I promise it’s good.”

Leonie sits down and tentatively takes the half-sandwich. She looks under the bread to check if Jane had slipped worms in there somehow.

She smiles when Leonie takes a bite, but then it falls and her eyes drop to look at her hands as they play with the hem of her neat dress. “I- I’m sorry they’re not nice to you. I… I don’t like any of them anymore...” She looks back at Leonie, and the corners of her mouth turn up again. “You always look like you’re having fun… would you tell me the story? Please?”

As Leonie finishes the sandwich, she gazes into the earnest face of the mousy girl. Jane’s always quiet, just standing by when others hurt or laughed at her.

Leonie begins the story slowly, concerned if Jane would roll her eyes or tease, or any sort of other negative reaction… but she didn’t. She listened and reacted to things properly. So, Leonie became more excited and quick in her retelling. Eventually they hopped up, Jane leading the way into the forest to find sturdier, stronger sticks.

No- _lances._

*******

_“Lee!”_ Jane moans under her breath. _“Can we please go?”_

Leonie ignores her, slowly peeking around the pine tree to watch her awkward, lanky 13 year-old classmates practice their archery skills. _Or lack thereof._

Just because she’s a girl, Leonie isn’t allowed to join the boys in archery lessons. Her papa did try to talk to Pig’s dad, the official instructor in Sauin, but he always gives a firm _no._

So, Leonie thinks of what her momma would say if she were still alive- _find a way._

Once in a while after chores are finished, her papa takes her into the woods and shows her the proper stance, how to grip, nock the arrow, and draw. Leonie is pleased whenever her papa praises her, citing she’s a ‘natural talent’. 

Which, if Leonie’s being honest, she agrees.

 _But!_ There’s always more to learn! Thinking you’re the best can get you hurt or killed, so she’ll never be so cocky. Unlike the boys. 

“No, Jane.” Leonie whispers back. “I have to listen and watch as much as I can. _Uhg._ I really hope they start working with the lances soon, though.” 

She looks down at her short friend, who’s fiddling with the end of her long braid, her face scrunched in concern. _“Lee,”_ Jane whines. “We barely got away last time. You know Peter’s dad just turns an eye when it comes to you.”

Leonie scowls. “It’s _Pig,_ and I know. But I need to learn! I’m doing an okay job on my own. Taking turns with which lances I take out of their training shed at night, practicing a bit… but it’s hard to go further when there’s no one to teach you.”

Jane’s about to retort when her eyes widen. Grabbing Leonie’s wrist, Jane pulls hard as she springs back.

There’s a loud thunk against the tree where Leonie just was. Pig and the others appear from the other side of the trees, and Leonie stands tall, pushing Jane behind her.

“Well, look what we have here. Peenelli and the mouse.” Pig sneers, slinging the bow over his shoulder. He takes another step forward, looming down on them, meeting Leonie’s hard stare. “I’m feeling generous at the moment. So how about you two flee before I knock you down.”

Drawing her lips in a snarl, rage sparks in her. “We can be wherever we want, Pig. You’re not the boss of anyone. Oh, and you shoot like shit. Have you ever hit a bullseye?” 

The other boys _‘ooooh’_ and grimace and this comment, taking small steps back. She smirks. _He hasn’t._

Red splotches appear on Pig’s cheeks, his face screwing in anger. Just as Leonie predicted he would, his right arm reels back, giving her plenty of notice that he plans to punch her.

Jane runs, which is good. This is what Leonie hoped she would do. It’s what they’ve trained themselves to do if they could. Leonie doesn’t mind getting in a fight, but hates when Jane ends up getting in the crossfire.

Although today, Leonie is sick of it. Sick of letting this mediocre, pig-headed fuck telling her what she can and can’t do. 

Leonie knows her surroundings. Pine cones scattered, a loose rock to her right, a thick-ish stick to her left. Between those and her balled up fists, it should be enough. 

Crouching, she punches Pig hard in the stomach as his hand flies over her head. While he gasps and bends over, she snatches up a handful of pine cones and rubs them right where his eyes are. 

Pig screams and rubs his eyes frantically. _“You bitch!”_ He squeals, and blindly runs to tackle her. She sidesteps him and he barrels himself into the tree behind her. 

Closer to the stick than the rock, she grabs it as her adversary regains his sight. She whips it around, which is enough to keep the other boys away, but Pig is too furious now. He grunts and rushes forward. Unfortunately, the stick is not as useful with him. He swats it out of her hand before grabbing her shoulders and pinning her against a tree, and Leonie hocks a loogie right in his face. He clumsily wipes it off, then slaps her so hard, it nearly brings her to the ground. 

Tears well in her eyes from pain and fear flickers in her body as she watches his face, speckled with spit and dirt, become contorted with rage, he raises a balled fist. _“Now this,”_ he rasps, _“is gonna hurt.”_

Leonie closes her eyes and stiffens, preparing for some serious knocks when a lot of things happen at once. 

The other boys shout and run, and Leonie hears Jane yell, _“SHE’S THERE!”_ as a bunch of heavy footsteps hurry toward them.

Leonie blinks to see Pig frozen, staring to his right and a fist still held high. She uses his distraction as an opportunity to punch him. 

He takes a surprised step back, bringing his hand over his mouth when an enormous man takes hold of Pig’s shirt. _“You get outta here,”_ the man growls. 

Pig, his face pale and lip trembling, scampers away.

The man faces her. As his eyes look into her own, she feels the undeniable sensation of being weighed and measured.

“I would’ve been fine. I had a plan,” she snaps defensively, making him raise his brows toward his light brown, tousled hair. 

Bringing her fists to her hips, she makes herself as tall as she can and narrows her eyes, for this will let the stranger know she’s tough.

But her curiosity can’t resist the strangeness of him. Besides his long, orange hooded tunic, his arms and legs are completely covered in armor with no official markings to indicate a Leicester Alliance soldier or a Knight of Serios. His face is weather-beaten and scarred and serious.

Serious until the corner of his lip turns up and his eyes twinkle at her, unknowingly making her face soften.

Jane moves to stand next to her, and the gentle friend paws at one of her hands until Leonie accepts it and holds on. “Who are you?” She asks firmly.

He chuckles. “You’re a fiery one, aren’t yuh, kid? I’m Jeralt Eisner, and my mercenaries were hired to take care of the poaching problem your village has been experiencing.” Jeralt gestures to his mercenaries behind him. “This isn’t all of them, the other half along with my daughter are on another job. I wish I brought her with us now, though. You and her would get along. Anyway,” he jerks his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction Pig ran away in. “What was that fight about, kid?”

“I’m not a kid,” Leonie huffs. “I’m thirteen, and I’ve been fighting that dumb boy-”

 _“-bullied by.”_ Jane mumbles, getting a sharp glance from Leonie. She only shrugs. “I’m telling the truth.”

“Uhg, I’ve pushed back! In the past I’ve only ran so _you_ wouldn’t get hurt.”

Her friend smiles and Leonie brings her attention back to Jeralt.

“I want to learn to hunt and be a knight someday. So my father teaches me how to shoot a bow and arrow when he can, and when I finish chores I watch them practice using lances, but sometimes they catch me, and…” Absentmindedly, she touches her face and winces, still tender where Pig slapped. “They don’t train the girls here to do that… they say I could never be a knight.”

Jeralt hums, and after a few moments he asks gently for a man of his stature: “Are they right?”

She furrows her brows. “What?”

“Are they right?”

The question engulfs the red-head, and she thinks of her momma, who died from illness a few years ago. Before her passing she had written in a journal some letters and words of advice, and now Leonie is reminded of her words on slaying dragons, facing fears, being unapologetically herself, and looking inward. _What does she believe?_

“No,” she says with conviction. “They’re wrong.”

Jeralt huffs. “Well, I’ll be damned. What’s your name, kid?”

“Leonie Pinelli.” 

“Well, Pinelli. I’ll tell yuh that anyone who said you couldn’t be a hunter or knight is full of horse shit. I’d like them to see the women in my crew and the ones in the Knights of Serios. You can do whatever you damn well please.” He smirks. “How about while we’re here, you can train with us.”

It’s said with such authenticity that Leonie can’t help but trust him. 

And she smiles.

*******

As the gentle drops of rain splash on her face, she and the horse the village gave her round the corner and Leonie catches her breath, gently pulling the reins so her horse comes to a stop.

There it is.

Garreg Mach Monastery, which hosts the Officer’s Academy where she hopes to change her life and give back to the village that’s grown a great deal and done so much for her these past six years- since the Blade Breaker and his mercenary crew were there.

She clutches the wooden pendant around her neck and takes a deep breath. He and his crew taught her much, and since she’s pushed and pushed to be better. Sweating, bleeding, mending injuries, all to become a great hunter, like her papa; brave like her momma; and hopefully on her way to become a great mercenary, just like Jeralt.

 _“I can do this,”_ she mutters to herself, closing her eyes and smiling as the raindrops continue to soak her short hair and drip down her face. _“I’ll make you proud.”_

Tapping her heels into her horse, they continue their way to the monastery.

***

In years to come, after lessons and battles and grief and war and death and more loss… while she’s travelling with her own mercenary crew is when Leonie will realize...

It wasn’t Jeralt’s teachings that made her strong. 

Wasn’t her mothers wise words that made her brave.

It was the fire that was already living inside her all along.

**Author's Note:**

> The slay dragons thing Leonie’s mother says in the beginning is based on a painting/quote I have on my wall:  
> “Anyone can slay a dragon, he told me, but try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That’s what takes a real hero.” -Brian Andreas
> 
> I hoped you enjoyed my little story : -)
> 
> Kudos and comments appreciated! 
> 
> Thank you for reading. <3
> 
> [Twitter @HiStacyHere](https://twitter.com/HiStacyHere/)


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